Archive for the 'Andrus Peat' Tag Under 'USC' Category

Before the so-called "Biggest. Upset. Ever." in 2007, USC had defeated Stanford five consecutive times. Only once was the margin of victory fewer than 23 points.

That game turned USC-Stanford into a real rivalry -- both on and off the field.

First, the on-field part: After the Trojans trounced the Cardinal the following season, Stanford hammered USC in 2009 in the "What's your deal?" game. Conflict is essential to a good rivalry, and Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll provided copious amounts.

The next two meetings were instant classics: Stanford won a last-second field goal in 2010 and in triple overtime in 2011 as star quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Andrew Luck dueled until the final whistle.

Another signing day is done. Future Trojans soon will be coming to a campus near you. Here are five observations on how things went for USC:

1. Blind spot

Lane Kiffin and his staff mostly accomplished what they wanted, but they really wanted another offensive tackle. Kiffin figured USC would land one of the three uncommitted tackles -- Kyle Dodson, Kyle Murphy, Andrus Peat -- but all chose to go elsewhere. The Trojans got two good ones in Zach Banner and Max Tuerk (whose position is still to be determined). Chad Wheeler is also a tackle (albeit more of a project). So what's the problem? Well, none of the linemen USC signed is a sure-fire blind-side protector. Although some really like Banner, others believe he's strictly a right tackle. Some believe Tuerk is best off at guard. Landing Dodson, Murphy or Peat would have given USC another option and intensified the competition at tackle that much more.

** Kiffin said quarterback Jesse Scroggins needs to have a good semester academically to be eligible to play next season. "He's fallen behind," Kiffin said. "He's in a hole. He has a lot of work to do."

** Kiffin's biggest disappointment was not landing an additional offensive tackle. He had hoped to get at least one of these three: Kyle Dodson (Ohio State), Kyle Murphy (Stanford) or Andrus Peat (Stanford).

** Although frustrated about the tackle situation, Kiffin is OK with USC's total of 12 signees. Add five midyear enrollees, and the number jumps to 17. It also allows USC to sign three midyear players in December or January.

** Kiffin is hopeful that Leonard Williams can be an immediate contributor at defensive end. Williams (6-5, 270) will start out on the outside, with the possibility of later moving inside if he gets significantly heavier.

Almost forgotten amid the hubbub of Matt Barkley returning for his senior year is that USC is losing two non-seniors to the NFL.

Offensive tackle Matt Kalil and defensive end Nick Perry played vital roles in the Trojans' resurgent 10-2 season. Kalil, expected to be a top-five pick in the 2012 draft, is the only starter USC loses on the offensive line. But Perry is one of three starters lost on the defensive line.

So it's safe to say that left tackle and D-line depth are among Lane Kiffin's biggest concerns heading into signing day and spring football. But Kiffin believes the Trojans have a handle on at least one of those issues.

USC signed five defensive linemen last year and played only one of them. (Ironically, the only player who didn't redshirt was the least touted of the bunch, J.R. Tavai.) That was part of Kiffin's master plan for repairing a depleted roster.

"You rarely can fix your depth issues in recruiting immediately," Kiffin said. "You have to have a plan going back two years. We tried to sign a bunch of defensive linemen knowing what was coming. ... Hopefully with the guys we redshirted and signed last year, we've fix that."